1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to flower displays in cemeteries, and more particularly to a flower display that can be lowered into an underground chamber to facilitate mowing the cemetery, the flower display having the unique ability to be lowered into the underground chamber without requiring the removal of the flowers.
2. Description of Related Art
The prior art discloses a flower vase for use in cemeteries that can be stored under ground. Most of the prior art consists of a vase that can be inverted and placed in an underground chamber. Examples of this structure include Joseph, U.S. Pat. No. 2,075,441, Miller, U.S. Pat. No. 1,717,576, Berger, U.S. Pat. No. 1,616,647, McGowan, U.S. Pat. No. 1,541,983, and Dreher, U.S. Des. Pat. No. 116,818. An alternative structure is disclosed in Weaver, U.S. Pat. No. 2,638,717, in which the vase rotates 90 degrees so the vase lies in the ground sideways. The disadvantage of these vases is that the contents of the vase must be discarded whenever the cemetery gardener mows the lawn.
The most advanced invention, disclosed in Strassacker, U.S. Pat. No. 4,306,376, is a countersunk vase that lowers into the ground in an upright orientation. This allows the vase to remain full of water, allowing new flowers to be easily added after the gardener has mowed the cemetery lawn. However, the structure disclosed in Strassacker does not have a handle and it does not lower into the ground far enough to allow the gardener to leave the flowers in the vase.
The prior art teaches flower vases that can be stored under ground. However, the prior art does not teach a flower vase that can be easily lowered and stored under ground without discarding the flowers contained within the flower vase. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages as described in the following summary.